


my little dark age

by spectrespecs



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, a day in the life of zagreus, a series of conversations and moments
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:01:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27026272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spectrespecs/pseuds/spectrespecs
Summary: To think, they could have waited an eternity for each other and not had this.
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 403





	my little dark age

**Author's Note:**

> this game and thanzag live rent free in my brain
> 
> two lines are related to post-giving one ambrosia to thanatos events, so spoilers in that regard
> 
> title from [Little Dark Age](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtL5oMyBHPs&ab_channel=MGMTVEVO) by MGMT

When Zagreus wakes, he feels arms around him. It should be a surprise since all he does is wake up in the River Styx covered in blood or occasionally, when he chooses to rest, in his bed alone, but this is familiar somehow still. 

Thanatos lightly wraps around Zagreus, and it's a nostalgic comfort. Zagreus lets his eyes close again and drifts back to when he was a child tucked into a bed by Nyx next to Than and Hypnos. The latter god always wanted to be at the end of the bed so he could occupy as much space as he wanted to himself for his sleep, which was always perfectly fine for the other two—best friends who valued any time they could have together. Mort would be squished between them, sometimes just recently found from a scare of being lost within the House of Hades, but the small keepsake always made its way back to Than.

"You're going to be together forever, you know," Nyx whispered to Zagreus and Thanatos, running her hands through both of their hair. Hypnos had already fallen asleep, and even though there was no chance her voice would wake him, Nyx was still conscious of keeping quiet for her other son.

"Forever?" Zagreus questioned. The concept of time was still something he was getting used to.

"Eternity," Nyx's smile was as warm as Night Incarnate could be. "How does that sound?"

"It's okay," Zagreus shrugged.

Nyx laughed and turned to Thanatos. "What about you, Thanatos? Do you want to be with Zagreus forever?"

Zagreus turned to look at Than, who had a deep look of concentration on his face that shouldn't be something he's capable of for another millennium at least. "I suppose so," he gave his solemn answer.

"Isn't that wonderful?" Nyx ruffled their hair again. "You get to be with your best friend forever."

To think that they could have gone forever without actually ever speaking aloud their feelings for each other, then Zagreus and Thanatos wouldn't be where they were right now in Zagreus's room buried under sheets and blankets acquired through the House Contractor. To think that Zagreus's endless trips up to the surface and back down wouldn't include moments where he could rest in bed with Thanatos or find a corner of a chamber in Elysium to push Thanatos against in order to steal a quick kiss. Zagreus understands time a little better than he did as a child, and the concept of forever without the god behind him chills him more than any time on the surface could ever.

"Are you awake?" Than asks, and Zagreus's eyebrows rise in surprise. He didn't know the god had also risen.

Turning around on the bed while pressing back against Than, Zagreus resituates himself so he still has Thanatos's arm around him but can now look the other in the eye. It pleases Zagreus endlessly that Than doesn't move his arm.

"I didn't know you were up," Zagreus gives a tired smile.

"It's hard to miss that you were awake," Thanatos scowls. 

"How?"

"You're loud."

"But I didn't do or say anything?" Zagreus pouts for show. Aphrodite told him it would work.

Than's eyes drift to Zagreus's mouth before he catches himself and looks back up. "I just am used to you. I know you. You're loud in every sense, in everything that you do."

"You don't know that yet," Zagreus teases. It's true. Though their relationship is new with thousands of years of adoration between them, thus far this is the most intimate they have been.

"The sounds you made when we were in the chamber after besting Asterius and Theseus told me as much," Than smirks, and that takes Zagreus aback. Thanatos still tends to be bashful to talk aloud about their relationship most of the time, so for him to say this, well, it might as well be one of Zagreus's dreams.

"Am I truly awake?" Zagreus teases. "Or did Death Incarnate make a comment about how I moan when he kisses me?"

"Please do not read too much into it," Thanatos rolls his eyes, but a corner of his mouth twitches as though he's holding back a bit of a smile.

"I will read into it as much as I please," Zagreus replies, and he pushes Thanatos back in order to crawl on top of him. "Would you like more insight into how loud I can be?" Zagreus's hands settle on Than's chest over the light cloth of his chiton.

"I need to work, Zag," Than sighs, but he doesn't seem particularly convinced of it himself.

"And I need to escape again to talk to my mother, but here we are," Zagreus kisses the corner of Than's mouth with a smile. He moves in to give a proper kiss to Than's lips, but insufferably Death Incarnate blinks out of existence in a flash of green and then reappears next to Zagreus's bed. “You’re serious,” Zagreus sighs and flops down onto the bed, cushioning his head on an arm and turning to look at Thanatos. 

“Your father is watching over me more carefully now,” Thanatos gives a pointed look, and then the scythe is also in his hand. “I can’t let this set me back.”

“This?” Zagreus raises an eyebrow. 

“Us,” Than specifies.

Zagreus supposes it’s true. He knows that the news of their relationship has been spreading through both the residents of the underworld and Olympus alike, and his father has been, well, eerily silent on the matter.

“Have a good day, Than,” Zagreus says. 

“Zag,” Than says it softly and moves back to the bed. The cool touch of Than’s fingers pull through Zagreus’s hair, and the soothing feeling makes Zagreus’s eyes drift closed again. “I’ll see you later, love.”

The term of endearment makes Zagreus’s eyes snap open, but at the same time they do, Than is gone in a blink. Now all Zagreus sees is his own reflection in the mirror on the other side of his room. He sighs and turns to lie on his back and stare up at the ceiling. 

Their relationship is still fresh and blooming in a way that rarely anything does down in the underworld. Zagreus absolutely cherishes Thanatos—has cherished him since they were children running around the House of Hades without a care in the world. Falling in love and being together actually hasn’t been all that different from when they merely referred to each other as best friends. Zagreus sometimes wonders how long they’d been in love without knowing it because one day they weren’t partners and the next day they were but nothing felt different other than the fact that Thanatos now would accept his gifts of small kisses and stolen seconds of holding the hand that doesn’t carry the scythe. 

\---

“Did I see a certain green glow of Death Incarnate from your bedroom?” Skelly’s tone always seems slightly mocking, so Zagreus isn’t certain if this is a genuine inquiry or humorous prodding.

“Perhaps,” Zagreus takes Varatha from its place. “Do you have matters with Death?”

“No, sir,” Skelly shakes his head. “You do, though. Constantly.”

Ah, so Skelly assumes it’s because of Zagreus’s repeated trips back down Styx. “I do,” Zagreus nods. “I’ll see you soon, Skelly.” The Bloodless gives a salute as Zagreus jumps through the arch.

When Zagreus enters the first chamber of Tartarus, Ares appears to offer his assistance. 

“Zagreus!” the God of War greets him. “My, my, I’ve heard some news that you’re even closer with my favorite associate.”

“Associate?” Zagreus asks. 

“War and death go hand-in-hand. Thanatos works alongside me quite frequently, I’m sure you can imagine,” Ares explains. 

“Oh, yes, of course,” Zagreus nods. “Is the news of Than and my relationship breaking through Olympus, I take it?” 

“It is indeed,” Ares nods. “Dionysus will likely want to toast to you both if you inevitably run into him during your trek up here. Aphrodite will have some thoughts as well, I do imagine.” Ares so frequently focuses on the ideas of war and bloodshed that Zagreus gives a soft snort at the expression of contemplation that crosses the god’s face.

Aphrodite has actually already given Zagreus a multitude of thoughts and opinions on how to navigate his new relationship with Thanatos, and thus far he’s taken the earlier use of pouting and put it to use along with a few pointers on how to touch Death Incarnate when they’ve been kissing languidly in corners of Elysium. Those tips had been particularly useful when put into practice, and Zagreus has let his mind wander to the sounds that escaped from Than’s mouth—one time that did end up resulting in him missing the inferno-bomber that managed to creep up on him in Asphodel.

If there is to be one thing that he will allow to be what pulls him back to the underworld and be his distraction from attempting to puzzle together matters with his parents, Zagreus will always be thankful for it being Thanatos. He will be eternally thankful for it being Thanatos.

And when Zagreus is an Asphodel and happens across Dionysis who does indeed insist upon toasting to the happy couple even though only one of them is present, he happily presents some nectar to the god because Zagreus is just surprisingly in a good mood.

\---

“Charon, I simply don’t want to anymore!” Zagreus declares as he enters a chamber to see the boatman set up with his wares. “Every time I know that Theseus stands beyond the door, I think, maybe this isn’t worth it. Is dying repeatedly really worth it because I will have to look upon Theseus and listen to his awful voice go on and on about his strength?”

Charon offers his usually helpful groan, and Zagreus nods in agreement. Theseus is an insufferable ass.

“Enough about terrible old Theseus, how are your days treating you? I haven’t seen Hermes in a while, how’s he doing?”

Zagreus listens along to the groans of Charon’s reply, which ends in a question towards Zagreus: _How is my brother?_

“Oh, Hypnos, he’s great, mate, you know, doing his usual of sleeping,” Zagreus jokes. Charon doesn’t respond, and his silence speaks for far more than any of his groaning.

“And Than is good. We’re good. Happy, I would go as far as to say,” Zagreus’s mouth forms a slightly lopsided smile as he says the words, partially in disbelief that he’s saying this aloud and it’s the truth. This time Charon does give a chilling groan of approval. Zagreus even gets an extra bit of food to help power through the battle ahead of him.

“Give my regards to Hermes!” Zagreus waves as he moves on to once again face Asterius and Theseus. 

It’s becoming annoyingly enjoyable to go up against the two that block his exit from Elysium. Zagreus reluctantly admits that sometimes Theseus can actually be a skilled fighter, but he will never say that out loud to anyone else, ever. Asterius, though, he’s a tank of force, and Zagreus has actual respect for the minotaur. The regard really only goes so far, though, and he has no qualms making Asterius accidentally careen into Theseus on occasion when he’s chasing Zagreus around the chamber. 

It’s unfortunate to watch the minotaur go down, but it must be done. When Zagreus turns his wary gaze towards Theseus, who is unfairly calling upon one of the gods—again, whose side are they on in all this—it crosses Zagreus’s mind to call for Thanatos. He hasn’t happened upon Death at all after going their separate ways earlier, and it would be a lie to say Zagreus doesn’t miss the sight of his partner just a little bit. 

So, Zagreus puts his full body’s force into throwing Varatha and watches it sing through the air and strike Theseus on the side of the head. He’ll be fine, Zagreus knows this as he watches the King crumple to the ground, but gods is it still satisfying to watch. Zagreus seeks out the one shade he’s made a fan before pushing on.

\---

Fighting his father is tiring. It always is. It leaves Zagreus feeling beaten down in every way possible, from the constant attacks received and returned from Hades to the discouragement hurled his way. 

“I just want to speak to my mother!” Zagreus yells as he surges forward to hurl Varatha once more at the god who barely played a role in raising him. 

“Foolish,” Hades gives a dismissive wave of his hand and sends a skull cast towards Zagreus. The battering has slowed Zagreus down slightly, so he just misses escaping the path of the curse that lodges inside him. It’s enough to finally drain the rest of the life within Zagreus, but when he feels himself falling, he hears a voice—Than’s voice, whispering a soft _Not if I can help it_ , and life surges back into Zagreus’s body. 

Yes, Zagreus is immortal, but he can bleed and has so much more to live for than he previously thought. Every strike of the weapon in his hands against his father means more precious moments to speak with Persephone, and though those invaluable minutes tick by faster than he hopes, he knows that at the end, he’ll be taken back down the Styx and eventually pull himself out of the pool to find Thanatos waiting for him at the balcony in the West Hall. Thanatos may disappear after a brief exchange to return to his work and Zagreus’s time with his mother might be short, but it’s all worth it. It keeps Zagreus pushing forward and on and up.

It’s with all these thoughts swimming through his mind like the memories in Lethe, Zagreus shoots a cast with Demeter’s power of a crystal beam at his father and launches Varatha for good measure in order to watch Hades fall one more time.

\---

Zagreus doesn’t believe he will ever get used to the air up here on the surface and the way the cold pricks at his skin so unlike the way Thanatos’s cool touch feels against his skin. Nonetheless, he makes the trek as fast as possible to maximize the time he’ll have with his mother.

“Mother, I’ve returned!” Zagreus cries out at first glimpse of her.

“Zagreus” she sighs. “How are you?” 

“Good, good, but—” he starts but gets cut off by Persephone.

“Zagreus, I know you have many questions for me, but may I ask one of you?” Persephone tilts her head. 

“Of course, Mother,” Zagreus nods, wanting to get as much covered as possible in this visit to the surface. 

“What is this?” She reaches out and runs the tip of a finger across the pierced butterfly pin affixed to Zagreus’s chiton. 

“Oh,” Zagreus exhales in surprise. “It’s a keepsake given to me by Thanatos to help me during my escape from the underworld.”

“I see,” Persephone purses her lips. “I remember him and Nyx’s other child, Hypnos. How are they? Oh, and Charon as well.” 

“They are all doing well.”

“And how is Thanatos to you?” Persephone asks the question pointedly. Her finger is still on the pin but her eyes pierce Zagreus. He supposes this is the look of a parent concerned for their child’s well-being—making sure he’s content in a relationship. 

“He is good to me, Mother,” Zagreus lets a small grin break across his face as he admits it. 

“I’m glad to hear that,” Persephone nods. “You are happy with him?”

“Incredibly,” Zagreus wonders if he’s blushing. Does he feel lightheaded because his time is coming to be dragged back down the River Styx? Is he overwhelmed thinking about his love for Than? Both? 

“Oh, my child, I’m so pleased for you, but it seems you’re going to leave again,” Persephone smiles in a way that her eyes remain forlorn. 

“I’ll be back,” Zagreus gasps out.

“I’ll be here to speak and hear more of your dear Thanatos,” Persephone sounds like she might be jesting just a bit at that statement, and it makes Zagreus give a weak laugh before everything goes dark. His mother wants to know about his beloved. 

\---

When Zagreus awakes, he groans and pulls himself out of the River. 

“I’ve got you.”

Zagreus turns his head at the words and sees a hand extended offering assistance to be pulled out of the pool of blood. It’s Thanatos, scythe in one hand and the other reaching for Zagreus. The Son of Hades doesn’t hesitate to take hold of Death Incarnate to be helped out of the River Styx. 

“Thanks,” Zagreus says. He spares a fast glance to where his father is dealing with shades, and it seems he’s too engrossed in that work to have noticed the two at the Styx. 

“How was she?” Than asks. 

“Good,” Zagreus replies. “She asked after you.”

Than’s eyebrows rise, disappearing under his white bangs. “She did?”

“She asked how you were. How you are to me.”

“And what did you say?”

“That I am happy,” Zagreus admits. 

“Oh.”

“Is it so surprising to be happy to be with the one that I love?” Zagreus asks. 

“You love me,” Than breathes out the words, not as a question but as someone who is trying to wrap their heads around the fact that what they heard is a truth. 

“Of course,” Zagreus cautiously lays a hand on the uncovered part of Than’s chest where his chiton allows it to be bare. He’s conscious of the fact Hypnos is asleep mere feet away, his father is at the desk, and Dusa is hovering cleaning. “And you me.”

“Of course,” Than speaks softly. 

“Say it.”

“I would like to say it in your bedroom.”

Zagreus takes a sharp breath at the words. “Please do.” And then the two make their way over to Zagreus’s chambers.

“Would you like a song?” Orpheus asks with a knowing look as the two hasten their way past him towards Zagreus’s bedroom.

“Please!” Zagreus cries over his shoulder, and as soon as he’s given the musician approval, Orpheus’s voice starts ringing out through the house.

Thanatos hovers by the bed as Zagreus immediately lies down on it once the two enter the room. “Something the matter?” he asks Death. 

“When I was on the surface today, I was thinking about the mortals who I was collecting,” Than begins to explain. “How I was taking them away from everything they knew and cared for.”

“Oh?” Zagreus leans up on his elbows, regarding Than with all his attention and not wanting to speak just yet in order to hear what the other has to say. 

“It made me realize that no one can take me away from what I care about most,” Than speaks the words slowly as if painstakingly choosing each one as he says it. 

Zagreus gives a small huff of a laugh. “Well, it’s hardly like you’ll be coming to collect yourself now is it.”

Than’s mouth twitches. “I suppose so.”

“So, what do you care about most?” Zagreus allows his voice to go quiet, fully expecting Thanatos to scoff and brush aside the question. 

“You,” Than admits, and the single word makes Zagreus’s head spin. 

“Well, that’s good,” Zagreus lies back, thinking back to earlier when Than flashed away and left him on the bed. “I feel similarly.”

“I would hope so,” Thanatos is actually joking, a wry edge to his voice. It makes Zagreus smile. 

The bed dips as Thanatos climbs on and covers Zagreus with his own body. The older god is bigger than Zagreus, and he’s able to effectively cover him—shield him from everything that exists behind this space. “I love you,” Zagreus sighs. “Will you say it now?”

Thanatos leans down and places a fast kiss on Zagreus’s cheek, and Zagreus tries to turn his head quickly in order to capture the other’s mouth. 

“You know I would have waited an eternity for you,” Than whispers, mouth hovering above Zagreus’s. “Because I love you.”

“Good thing you didn’t have to,” Zagreus breathes out and lunges up to finally get his mouth on Than’s as has been in the back of his mind to do since they parted ways from this very room. Zagreus slides one of his hands across Than’s neck and lets it settle into the short hair there. Than’s skin feels pleasantly cool under his touch, which makes him wonder what his skin feels like to Than, so he asks as much.

“Warm,” Thanatos answers softly. There’s no hesitation in his voice as if he’s contemplated the answer before. “Not a horrid heat like Asphodel so often tends to be, but something more familiar and comforting. It’s strange, I never much care for the heat, but if your touch was what being in Asphodel felt like, well, then I don’t think I would ever want to leave that place.”

“What about my bed, then?” Zagreus asks. “You can have my touch all you want from this place, would you still leave?”

Than laughs, and it’s such a rare sound that Zagreus wishes he could cap it into one of the empty nectar bottles he has scattered around the room. “Oh, I would never get anything done then, Zag.”

“And what’s so wrong with that?” 

Wouldn’t it be lovely to ignore their duties and roles in the grander scheme of things and not just be two lovers who could hide away for days and days from the world in order to become even more closely acquainted with each other’s bodies? If only it were like in Eurydice’s song that they had no burdens and could just truly do what they want to do. Especially them, two immortal beings with all of time ahead of them.

Instead of answering, Than places a hand on Zagreus’s thigh and drags it up slowly. He supposes one of them needs to be responsible otherwise perhaps everything would crumble and fall around them and they would never notice, too wrapped up in themselves. Zagreus would perhaps be okay with that, as long as the god who is now unclasping his belt remains with him.

“I haven’t long,” Than mutters before nipping Zagreus’s lower lip and soothing it over with a lick. 

“Good because I can’t wait,” Zagreus’s smile is sharp.

“I thought you could have also waited for me?” Than frowns, and Zagreus swears for a moment that Death is making an attempt at a pout. Did Aphrodite get to him as well? But before that line of thought has a chance to progress, Than’s hand squeezes much further up Zagreus’s thigh now.

“I would have,” Zagreus admits. “But you’re here now, we have each other now, so please, touch me, kiss me, do something with me.”

Than chuckles, and it makes the hair on the back of Zagreus’s neck stand up. “Of course.”

They work with haste then, pulling off fluttering clothes and heavy accessories that make up their daily wear. All of it falls easily to the floor for them to pick up and pull back on later. When they’re bare, they slide together easily, both chasing the feeling of skin on skin, exertion making sweat ease their movements and arousal adding slickness as they grind together, pushing closer. Their mouths barely part for breaths, and even then, they don’t allow those moments to go to waste. Zagreus makes sure to pant or cry out Than’s name whenever he can, and Thanatos does the same for Zagreus. 

Beyond the doors of Zagreus’s room, the daily matters of the underworld are being managed and the sound of Orpheus’s voice drifts through. All of that doesn’t matter when Than bites at Zagreus’s neck in a way that will likely mark him for a while and anyone who has doubted the status of the Prince of the Underworld and Death Incarnate will be set right. 

Zagreus and Thanatos fevered for each other, and it drives them faster against each other, chasing a quick end. Something to sate them for now. This is the first time they’ve come together in such a way, but later...oh, later.

“Later,” Than murmurs into Zagreus’s ear, voice tight in an attempt to convey control. “Later, I will take you apart slowly as you deserve, properly.”

It’s that promise that makes Zagreus gasp and close his eyes tightly, almost feeling as though he’s blinking out of existence—dying again—but then when he opens his eyes, Than is there, waiting for him. 

For the rest of eternity, Death will always be waiting for him in some way, and Zagreus welcomes it.

**Author's Note:**

> just yelling, [twitter](https://twitter.com/pushclouds)


End file.
